WorkLife

Those Back-to-Work Butterflies 🏢 🦋

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

September always makes me feel butterflies of excitement. The change from summer to fall still paints faint memories of me looking for the perfect Trapper Keeper with a velcro flap or of dropping my …

Doing Good in the Worst Year: Our 2020 Impact Report

By Pia Hinckle on

2020 was a terrible year and yet the generosity of our community allowed us to bring healthy food to nearly two million people: neighbors in need, frontline healthcare workers, and public school kids …

COVID-19 and Indoor Air Management

By Enviro Stewards on

By Enviro-Stewards, reposted with permission  Coronavirus (COVID-19) can be spread through the air.  Therefore, it is necessary to rethink indoor air management systems to reduce the risk of airborne …

4 Tips for #ParentingInAPandemic

By Julie Collins on

Imagine this: It’s a pandemic. You are working from home. Your son is in preschool, but due to poor air quality from wildfires today, school is canceled. You are feeling constantly guilty because you …

Founder Chris Mittelstaedt on the Covid Recession in the WSJ

By FruitGuys Staff on

The FruitGuys Founder, Chris Mittelstaedt was recently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal about the economic effects of the Covid-19 crisis on small businesses. Read the full article in PDF …

The FruitGuys Response to COVID-19

By The FruitGuys on

March 2020 We will get to the other side of this---together. We wish you, your employees, your vendors, your customers, and their families the best, and especially good health. Please let us know of …

5 Ways to Support & Engage Remote Employees

By Amanda Rebuck on

The practice of telecommuting—more commonly referred to as “remote work”, is very much on the rise. With remote work trending up, how can companies engage remote employees? The U.S. Bureau of …

Practices to Prevent Coronavirus at Work

By Pia Hinckle on

As concern over the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) grows, what steps can you and your workplace take to stay healthy? Health officials say the best thing businesses can do is promote good …

Improve Office Culture With Fika

By Elisabeth Flynn on

If you’ve ever been to Sweden, you know how serious their coffee culture is. You may also have experienced the Swedish ritual of fika: relaxing with a cup of coffee and something sweet. Pronounced …

Engage Employees With Citrus & Keep Them Healthy

By Elisabeth Flynn on

The sky may be gloomy, but citrus fruit--oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, grapefruits, pomelos, buddha’s hand, yuzu, and kumquats--is at its peak, bursting with color and natural sweetness. It's …

7 Tips for Your Next Performance Review

By Jack Owens on

It’s perfectly natural to feel anxious at the prospect of a performance review, but receiving regular honest feedback is critical to understanding your strengths as a professional, and the areas where …

4 Steps to Keep Your Digital Life Safe & Organized

By Jack Owens on

As we ring in the new year with intentions to get fit or more organized, there a resolution that many of us overlook: improving our digital hygiene. We’ve prepared 4 simple best practices in keeping …

Why to Try a Dry January

By Elisabeth Flynn on

More and more people are observing “Dry January;” an annual abstinence ritual of taking a break from all the alcohol many of us imbibed during the boozy excesses of December holiday …

7 Workplace Wellness Resolutions

By Dana Merrill on

It’s the time of year where resolutions of all kinds are in the air. We spend so much time in the office; why not focus on workplace wellness resolutions this year? Many habits are instilled …

How to Feel Less Self-Conscious When Public Speaking

By Hilary Hinckle on

Some people naturally love public speaking— for others it depends on the setting, and for others, it’s their worst nightmare as they feel self-conscious when public speaking. Regardless of …

How to Build a Workplace Vaping Policy

By Mark Saltveit on

Vaping—the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems, sometimes referred to as ‘e-cigarettes’—exploded into the news this fall after a sudden spike in lung illnesses and more than 30 deaths that …

4 Critical Skills Veterans Bring to the Workplace

By Amanda Rebuck on

Veterans are trained in elite leadership courses. They’re battle-tested and have proven themselves capable of accomplishing difficult tasks both state-side and at war. Military professionals have a …

2019 Corporate Holiday Gift Guide

By The FruitGuys on

The FruitGuys has a range of tasty and distinctive options that make holiday gift-giving easy, not to mention delicious and healthy. You’ll delight clients, vendors, business partners, and employees …

5 Steps Towards New Job Success

By Amanda Rebuck on

There is no shortage of resume and interview tips to help you land a new job, but advice on navigating those early months in a new role and how to work towards new job success can be a bit more …

4 Ways to Sit Less & Get Work Done

By T.J. Ford on

Those of us who sit at a desk all day often wish we had a more active job. The dreaded desk slump leads to poor circulation, tight muscles, and low energy. Numerous studies have equated long …

5 Fruits That Boost Your Immune System

By Jack Owens on

There are a few general tips to help prevent and shorten colds: wash your hands often; make sure you get enough rest, drink tea, exercise, and keep an eye on your stress level… and eat …

Reduce Office Plastic Waste with Fountain Pens

By Pia Hinckle on

If you’re looking for a way to cut down on your single-use plastic items, why not swear off disposable pens and discover the old-school delights of the fountain pen; fountain pens feel better in the …

Why Sleep is Your Superpower

By Elisabeth Flynn on

Why do we sleep? What influence does sleep, or the lack thereof, have on our work performance? Can sleep really be your superpower? Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at …

6 Takeaways From My Six-Week Weight-Loss & Fitness Challenge

By Elisabeth Flynn on

Last summer, a friend asked me to join her in a six-week fitness challenge at a nearby gym. It promised weight loss, strength and endurance training, and a #squad-style community forged through group …

5 Tips for Leaving a Job on Good Terms

By Crystal Spraggins on

People change jobs for all kinds of reasons, some of which have little to do with the job itself. You or your partner may have decided to relocate. Maybe you’re leaving a job to go back to school …

Why Seasonal Fruit is Good for You

By Jack Owens on

Eating seasonal fruit is one of life’s great joys, and it’s good for your body too. Seasonal fruit is also a great reward for employees because it boosts their health and morale all year long. …

Organize and Optimize your Office with Feng Shui

By Jonanna Widner on

Practiced for at least 2,000 years in China, feng shui is the art of arranging your surroundings in a way that optimizes the flow of energy, thus promoting health, good luck, abundance, and …

The Business of Mindfulness

By Elisabeth Flynn on

The concept of mindfulness — the ability to be in the present, aware, and not overly reactive—comes from Buddhist philosophy and has been practiced in various forms for thousands of years. Long …

Six Lessons Managers Can Learn From Elite Athletes

By Mark Saltveit on

If you had the chance to watch the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team on their path to winning the World Cup this summer, then you’ve seen exceptionally talented, hard-driving, confident, and …

The “Overqualified” Candidate Conundrum

By Amanda Rebuck on

There are a lot of blogs espousing tips to get the candidate without experience hired, but we rarely see advice or support for the candidate with “too much” experience. You’re an applicant with a …

Dressing for Success During Summer Months and Beyond

By Crystal Spraggins on

Summer is here, and that means many employees will be gladly throwing off clothing layers and slipping into warm-weather wear. Even as dress standards at work have undeniably relaxed in recent …

Tune In to These 10 Powerful Podcasts About Work

By Elisabeth Flynn on

If you’re looking to take your career to the next level, but don’t have the time or budget to commit to a formal program, podcasts can be a terrific resource. Maybe you want to explore potential …

Four Tips to Help New Hires Hit the Ground Running

By Crystal Spraggins on

In today’s fast-paced work world, onboarding may seem like a quaint notion. Who has time to efficiently onboard employees? We need our new hires to jump in with both feet and begin making an impact …

A Fresh Start: Spring Cleaning at Work

By Jonanna Widner on

One of the best parts of spring is the feeling of renewal it brings. This time of year, we shed the layers of winter, making it the perfect time to refresh all aspects of our lives, including a deep …

Five Ways to “Green Up” Your Lunch Routine

By Elisabeth Flynn on

The numbers are staggering. Americans go through more than 100 million pieces of plastic utensils and throw away 500 million plastic straws a day, according to the nonprofit Plastic Pollution …

Four Tips for Building a Better Team

By Mark Saltveit on

Psychological safety—the ability to safely express ideas, take risks, and make mistakes—has been widely recognized as a key attribute for successful team collaboration in all kinds of workplaces, from …

Sexual Harassment Training in the #MeToo Era

By Cynthia Cristilli on

Since the viral #MeToo movement began, more and more women have found the courage to speak out about sexual harassment and assault, and demand change to the way we all perceive gender and power …

4 Ways to Reduce Office Food Waste

By Jonanna Widner on

Narrator: She didn’t eat it later. How many times have you opened up your refrigerator at work to face a wall of half-full Tupperware containers and week-old to-go boxes of food that will …

Memo: Clean Your Desk

By Miriam Wolf on

Face it: your desk could use some help. There are stacks of papers everywhere, unfiled documents mingling with takeout menus. Your keyboard is so filled with crumbs that it crunches when you …

Three Steps to a Happier Work Life

By Elisabeth Flynn on

How can we be happier at work? This question seems well worth pursuing, given how much time we spend there, and the way in which happiness spills from one area of our lives into all the others. I …

The ROI of The FruitGuys Fruit

By The FruitGuys on

The personality of a workplace will determine what shape a successful health and wellness program will take. One thing is certain—companies that institute wellness programs reap a variety of benefits, …

Crushing It: How to Grow Your Career

By Elisabeth Flynn on

January marks a fresh start, a time for setting goals and making resolutions generally geared toward self-improvement: Time to get fit, eat more healthfully, declutter your home, etc. But a new year …

Smart Snacking at Work

By Jessica Walrack on

Did you know that work quality and efficiency are affected by the foods employees eat during the day? What if I told you that studies have found that food choices directly correlate with how …

How to Start a Workplace Wellness Program on a Budget

By Jessica Walrack on

When you’re busy running your business, it can be easy to forget the importance of healthy eating, exercise, and stress management for yourself and your employees. Before you know it, your employees …

10 Inexpensive Perks That Will Delight Employees

By Miriam Wolf on

Looking to make your team happy without breaking the budget? Sometimes the best things in life are pretty simple and low-cost. We did an informal poll of office workers to see what little perks were …

Dealing with Distraction in Your Open Office

By Mark Saltveit on

We recently discussed the growing criticism of open office layouts, largely because of the noise and distractions that can undermine productivity. Nonetheless, open floor plans are likely here to …

Creating an Inclusive Workplace

By Katie Donnelly on

During my 15-plus years in the human resources sector, I’ve learned, along with my various employers, how important it is to foster an environment that truly welcomes a company’s greatest resource: …

21st Century Office Party Planning & Etiquette

By Elisabeth Flynn on

Love it or dread it, the office holiday party is an enduring tradition. These events bring together all kinds of people under circumstances where the boundaries of work and private lives might blur. …

You Finally Made Manager—Now What?

By Crystal Spraggins on

Getting promoted to manager is cause for celebration. Your hard work has paid off, and now you have more autonomy, more interesting projects, and (presumably) more money. Helping those you oversee …

Coping with a Coworker’s Suicide

By Mark Saltveit on

Of the countless challenges a manager will face, few will be as complex as a coworker’s suicide. Staff may feel bewildered, frightened, guilty, and sad. If the victim killed him/herself at your …

Dealing with Depression in the Workplace

By Mark Saltveit on

The costs of depressive disorders to employers are well-documented: according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anywhere from $17 to 44 billion per year in lost productivity and more …

Fill ’Er Up

By Dana Lester on

Cold, pure water is a baseline perk for office workers. Hydrated workers, after all, are more productive than workers who are as dried out as the discarded husks of molting insects. But if you’re …

The Treats of a Retreat

By Robert Edelstein on

For the uninitiated, the notion of setting up a staff retreat may appear daunting; it takes time, planning, and money, and the payoff can feel vague. But do it once and the benefits—for both staff …

Beyond the FMLA

By Dana Lester on

Retaining top talent after that talent has had a baby can be a challenge, so it’s worth taking a look at how your company supports new mothers as they’re transitioning back to work. The federal …

Spring Office Cleaning

By Dana Lester on

Ah, spring—the season of tidying up, decluttering, and cleaning. If you’re like most people, spring-cleaning may happen in your kitchen, garage, and closets—but what about your workplace? After all, …

Therapy without the Office

By Mark Saltveit on

The need to connect patients with faraway doctors used to be a hallmark of only the most remote jobs—astronauts and researchers at the Antarctic research station, for instance. Telemedicine arose …

Performance Reviews Made Easy

By Mark Saltveit on

Let’s face it, as a manager, giving annual performance reviews may be one of the hardest tasks you perform all year—from the highly formulaic write-ups to the tension in the face-to-face meetings to …

Financially Fit

By Dana Lester on

Money makes the world go round, but how many of us really know how to harness its potential? Let’s face it: many otherwise savvy Americans are woefully underinformed about financial issues. In many …

Like Your Social Media Policy

By Mark Saltveit on

About twenty years ago, social media literally did not exist; today, a single Facebook post by one of your vice presidents can cripple your brand. That isn’t an exaggeration. On October 25, 2017, …

The Essential Spark

By Miriam Wolf on

Even if your business card doesn’t read “sculptor” or “novelist,” creativity is probably one of the most important traits in your work life. On an organizational level, creativity is how companies …

The Benefits Life

By Mark Saltveit on

Batten down the hatches! Open enrollment season is about to begin at most companies—it’s usually during the month of November—and it can get intense. If you work in human resources, it's time to get …

Fall Fashion—What Does Business Casual Really Mean?

By Jonanna Widner on

These days, the dress code in most offices is “business casual.” Not having to wear heels, panty hose, or constricting ties can definitely be a workplace perk, but the lack of formality also opens the …

How to Reduce your Workplace’s Carbon Footprint

By Dana Lester on

Recycling, eating more plant-based meals, and riding your bike to work are all great ways to reduce your impact on our planet. But what about your place of work? Is your office aware of its carbon …

On-the-Fringe Perks

By Jonanna Widner on

Picture this: You’ve applied for a job, gone through the interview process, and received an offer. You open your email and the company’s HR person has sent you the available benefits package. There …

The Benefits of Honesty

By Mark Saltveit on

The only thing we can be sure of when it comes to American health care policy is uncertainty itself. As of this writing, the first few attempts to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act (aka …

Boss Skills: Refereeing Political Discussions at Work

By Mark Saltveit on

Political discussions are unavoidable these days, even at work. Last month we looked at how old boundaries have dissolved in the vitriol of the 2016 election and how employees can navigate this new …

Politics at Work: The New Normal

By Mark Saltveit on

During 2016’s long and grueling presidential campaign, millions of Americans with widely different opinions had at least one thought in common: “At least this will all be over soon!” So much for …

Open to Interpretation

By Kjerstin Johnson on

If you type “open-office floor plans” into Google, you might be surprised by the headlines that pop up: “The Post-Cubicle Office and Its Discontents”; “Why Agencies Should Rethink the Open-Office …

The End of the Car Commute

By Mark Saltveit on

We’ve been told for decades that driving your car to work is bad. It’s expensive, unhealthy, polluting, and stressful. Incentives to change this habit come and go, from mass transit systems and …

Cool Outfits for Hot Days

By Miriam Wolf on

It’s hot outside. The bosses are away on vacation. It’s tempting to make every day casual Friday. But if you want to leverage your wardrobe to help advance your career, it’s worthwhile to keep some …

Book It!

By Nancy Friedman on

Ever wish you could read more books—and not just when you’re on vacation? Looking for a way to boost morale and creativity in your work team? Want a steady diet of interesting and relevant new ideas …

Workplace New Year’s Resolutions

By Mark Saltveit on

As the calendar tips from December into January, many of us start thinking about New Year’s resolutions. We resolve to be kinder or more punctual; to be thinner or to drive less. In short, we’re …

Charitable Giving Is Good Business

By Mary Anderson on

Charity, as the old saying goes, may begin at home, but increasingly it’s found its way into America’s home away from home—the workplace. From multinational corporations to mom-and-pop shops, …

10 Ways to Save Water in the Office

By Miriam Wolf on

The ongoing drought in the Western states has reached historic proportions. California Governor Jerry Brown has put statewide water restrictions for homes and businesses into place for the first time …

How to Start an Office Carpool

By Miriam Wolf on

Hey, you there—driving to work all by yourself with only those wacky Z-100 DJs to keep you company. Aren’t you lonely? Wouldn’t you like to save some money and help the environment? Carpooling is a …

Successful Entrepreneur Couples

By Miriam Wolf on

The morning routine for most of us in the coupled world goes like this: Kiss the spouse, get in the car, and head off in separate directions. Maybe we’re both going to different offices, or maybe one …

The FruitGuys 3rd Annual Spirit Week

By Melissa Nguyen on

Pajamas, ping-pong, and righteous potlucks—if you wandered into any of The FruitGuys' five offices last month, you’d have gotten a good taste of why employees say working at The FruitGuys is such a …

Tales from Lutzka’s Lyft, Part 2

By Lutzka Zivny on

Lutzka Zivny drives for Lyft, an app-based ride-sharing service in San Francisco. She’s been collecting the inspiring, funny, touching, and sometimes bizarre conversations that occur in her minivan …

Smart Snacking at Work

By The Lunch Lady on

I recently made a simple change to my workday eating routine that has helped me achieve my weight goals—and improved my life. Before, I had been congratulating myself on how disciplined I was about my …

Tales from Lutzka’s Lyft

By Lutzka Zivny on

We begin an occasional series chronicling life in various workplaces. In this edition, we hear from Lutzka Zivny, who drives for Lyft, an app-based ride-sharing service, in San Francisco. She’s been …

Modern Office Coffee Culture

By Miriam Wolf on

Oh coffee, is there anything you can’t do? You taste great. You enhance our productivity at work. And you may even be a veritable health-giving elixir that could stave off Alzheimer’s and reduce the …

Off the Grid

By Christian Morabito on

Perched above a sandy cove, 80 miles from a paved road in any direction, we set up our camp. It was a simple layout—a cord strung between two rocks for a clothesline; stones circled up for the fire …

ACA Gives Office Wellness A Wake-Up Call

By Heather Boerner on

Lunchtime yoga. Health fairs. Flu shot clinics. Fresh fruit and vegetables in the break room. You do right by your employees. But what effect will the Affordable Care Act, going into effect in 2014, …

Wellness Carrots & Sticks

By Elizabeth Weinstein on

At the Council on Foreign Relations, a non-profit think tank based in New York, getting employees to leave their desks, stretch, or even duck out for a quick lunch can be an uphill battle. So to get …

SmileSnack Activity Breaks

By The FruitGuys on

Turn your desk into an individual wellness station with SmileSnack Taking regular breaks for brief activities during the day helps improve your focus and productivity.  We suggest: Eye breaks: …

How to Resolve a Customer Crisis

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

(Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column, "Eureka," on Inc.com.) Every business makes mistakes. What you do next is the difference between losing customers forever and gaining lifelong …

The Bank Scam That Hit My Business

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on Inc.com FruitGuys founder Chris Mittelstaedt explains how hackers got into his company's bank account--and how not to let it happen to …

How to Sit Less at Work

By Rebecca Taggart on

You don’t have to qualify as a couch potato to be sitting too much. Most of us spend at least half of our day sitting: at our desks and computers, at meetings or in classrooms, in cars, on transit, …

Survival Skills Every Entrepreneur Needs

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on Inc.com Technology can make your job easier. But when something goes wrong, you need basic business instincts to back you up. Remember the Air …

7 Deadly Management Sins

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on Inc.com How to identify--and root out--your worst human instincts before they infect your team. If there's one thing that's consistent across …

Some States Require Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

By Cynthia Cristilli on

Back in 2004, California’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 1825 into law. This new law mandated companies in the state with 50 or more workers to train their supervisors on sexual …

Is This Your Employees’ Idea of Service?

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column  Eureka  on  Inc.com When an employee flipped off a key customer, this CEO realized his company had a culture problem. Here's how he fixed it. Many …

Getting (Big) Things Done

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column  Eureka  on  Inc.com For too long you've served as Chief Fire Extinguisher. It's time to step back and start working on building your business. Are you …

Is Your Business Going Through Puberty?

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on Inc.com You know those awkward growing pains? They happen to companies, too. Prepare for the inevitable changes with these tips. Change for a …

Why the Capital Gains Tax Hurts Entrepreneurs

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on Inc.com The capital gains tax has been touted as the brass ring for business owners. But if you self-fund your growth, it's anything but. For …

5 Employee Morale Killers

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on Inc.com I discovered my first lesson in how not to motivate people at the bottom of a kitchen sink. In 1986, when I was 16 years old, my …

Disruptive Innovation–One Pair of Glasses at a Time

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column  Eureka  on  Inc.com Want to shake up an entire industry? Use this story as inspiration. Where do you look for disruptive change opportunities in your …

Method’s 4 Rules for Staying Innovative

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on  Inc.com Eric Ryan, co-founder of method home products, reveals the four things his company does to keep the creativity flowing. At 36,000 …

Walking on the Job

By Rebecca Taggart on

Aristotle and Steve Jobs both did it. Did what exactly? Walking at work. Walking is a great form of exercise and a surprisingly good fit at work. Healthy employees save an organization both time …

Competitors Who Bully — and How to Fight Them

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka  on  Inc.com Bigger, wealthier rivals can and will stack the deck against you. And they will involve lawyers. How will you respond? I recently …

The Stealthiest Start-up Killer

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on Inc.com It's the threat you never see coming. In fact, even after you crash and burn you still might not recognize it. Sometimes the biggest …

How to Manage Entrepreneurial Personality Disorder

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt’s column Eureka on Inc.com One side of you loves risk; the other side of you can't stand it. Here's how to use your multiple personalities to your advantage. I …

Best Problem-Solving Tip: Don’t Be Afraid to Break Stuff

By Chris Mittelstaedt on

Reprinted from Chris Mittelstaedt's column Eureka on Inc.com Sometimes there are problems simply too thorny and overwhelming to solve the usual ways; they require you to think differently. But …

Sitting Pretty

By Rebecca Taggart on

For me, the word ergonomics has always called to mind carpal tunnel syndrome and back pain. But what does it mean exactly? The science of ergonomics finds the best fit between a person and the …

Office Potatoes: Standing Can Burn Calories, Improve Health

By Pia Hinckle on

Do you ever feel like your office chair has become an appendage rather than just a place to sit? What if you found out that appendage could put your health at risk? Recent studies have found that …

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